The Ten Worst Foods for IBS

If you have irritable bowel syndrome, constipation or other digestive issues, you may be eating foods that are making these issues worse. I suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for many, many years. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was eating a lot of foods that were making the issue worse.Whether or not these foods may cause issues for you is truly personal, but I invite you to consider experimenting and seeing if avoiding these foods might help you. Here are the ten worst foods for IBS.

Grains

We have all heard about gluten sensitivity. What many of us don’t know is that there are many foods that have cross-reactions with gluten. For example, corn, rice, oats, and other grains might not have gluten in them, but some of them may be difficult to digest.

What exactly is gluten? Gluten is a mixture of proteins that are found in certain grains such as wheat, barley, oats and rye. People with celiac are extremely sensitive to gluten, however, there is also a non-celiac gluten sensitivity which many people suffer from. This type of sensitivity is on the rise and for many people with gut issues, gluten may be one of the most common causes. Suggestion: remove cereals, breads, corn, rice and all grains from your diet for a period of time and see if that helps. Avoid gluten-free processed products as well, these products may be gluten-free, but due to being processed, are not the best option when trying to heal. You can always use potatoes and sweet potatoes as your sources of carbohydrates. The good news is that you don’t have to feel deprived. You can always make your own bread with gluten-free flour.

You can read more about the connection between non-celiac gluten sensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome here.

Processed Foods

Processed foods such as chips and cookies can cause irritation in the gut so it is best to avoid them. If you TRULY want to eat an occasional cookie or chips, you are better off preparing them from scratch at home using whole, unprocessed foods.

A lot of processed foods have excess sugar in them. If the root cause of your irritable bowel syndrome is bad gut bacteria, the excess sugar might make your symptoms worse because bad bacteria usually feeds off of sugar.

Sugar

If you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive issues, sugar can make the symptoms worse. If you are craving something sweet, it may be best to eat a serving of fruit with natural sugar instead of pastries or other sweets.

Dairy

Many people with irritable bowel syndrome are lactose intolerant. For some people, this intolerance occurs as a result of a stomach bug. When the lining of the gut is damaged, our body is less able to process lactose which is a protein present in milk and dairy products. You can replace milk with a non-dairy milk substitute such as coconut or almond milk.

Beans

If you suffer from constipation and/or diarrhea as well as bloating, pain and stomach discomfort after eating beans, then it may be best to avoid them at least for a while until your gut heals and you are better able to tolerate them.

Fried and Fatty Foods

Fried foods such as French fries and fatty foods tend to irritate the gut. Instead of eating foods that are high in unhealthy fats, choose good-quality and healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil, as well as salmon, mackerel, tuna, grass-fed butter and ghee.

Artificial Sweeteners

According to the University of Maryland, no artificial sweetener is considered safe for people who suffer from IBS. Sucralose, Sweet n’ Low and saccharine can be major triggers for IBS.

Alcohol and Carbonated Drinks

Alcohol and carbonated drinks may trigger IBS. This may have to do with bacteria in our gut that feeds off of sugar contained in alcohol. Carbonated drinks usually have excessive caffeine which can be a gut irritant.

Coffee

Coffee stimulates the gut and causes it to overreact. This effect happens not only with regular coffee, but also decaf coffee.

Why? Researchers have stated that it is possible that caffeine triggers a hormone that signals the colon to contract, which then triggers IBS.

Raw Vegetables

The fiber in raw vegetables may be difficult to digest for IBS sufferers. Try sautéing your vegetables in a bit of coconut oil or steaming them for a few minutes to make it easier for your gut to handle it.

It is quite possible that when you address the issues that are causing your IBS symptoms, you will eventually be able to reincorporate some (if not all) of these foods and drinks into your diet again.

If you are interested in receiving a FREE copy of my “Gut Performance” report, you can click here.